You look so fine
by PandorasHollow
Summary: SN...Nick has a new girlfriend and Sara is jealous, a fight ensues.


_**Disclaimer:** I don't own **CSI** or any of the characters mentioned in the story, nor do I own the song **You look so fine** by **Garbage**_

_**Rating: M,** you've been warned!_

_**AN:** Just like always, I start a story with this one particular idea in my head and what happens? The result is so much different. A few days ago I've been listening to this song quite a lot and I don't even know why. It's a sexy song so I got this idea of Nick and Sara having sex after a fight. The story was supposed to be about mindless but fun sex, now it's full of angst and drama and fluff.  
I just want to warn you, it's the first time I've written smut in English (which is not my mother tongue). So, I apologize in advance if I misused a word or phrase. My beta seems to be MIA, so the story was written without her lovely input (and I had no one to correct my mistakes)_

_Enjoy and please leave a comment_

* * *

_I'm open wide  
I want to take you home  
We'll waste some time  
You're the only one for me_

_You look so fine  
I'm like the desert tonight  
Leave her behind  
If you want to show me _

_I'm not like all the other girls  
I won't take it like the other girls  
I won't fake it like the other girls  
That you used to know_

_You're taking me over  
Over and over  
I'm falling over  
Over and over_

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Sara's standing at the bar in a snug, floorlength, black satin dress, black over-priced strappy sandals gracing her feet. For the millionth time that evening, she glances at her wristwatch and for the millionth time she wishes that the time wouldn't actually take so much _time_. It was the annual police ball and her presence had been requested or more likely ordered by Ecklie, because she had missed the last four. Grissom had in a few words stated that she had to be there, so she had fumed for days, complained constantly to Nick. Nick had to promise her that he'd come too or she'd torment him for the rest of his days. Sara sighs and takes another sip of her water. She wishes that she could at least get drunk but that was out of option, since she has to work afterwards. Once again she glances at her watch, two hours and six minutes before she can leave.

She turns around and rests her elbows on the bar behind her, explors the ball room which filled with people from law enforcement. She spots Greg and Bobby at one table talking, Grissom is standing with Catherine and Sofia not that far away. She has also seen Warrick with his wife a few minutes ago, only Nick hasn't arrived yet and he was the only person she wants there. She wants him there for reasons she shouldn't, not as just his friend. Thoughts of him have been so persistent lately that they have started to haunt her in her dreams, as if it wasn't enough that she was thinking of him while awake. This new development of her feelings towards her best friend is unwelcome. She doesn't want to feel like this or rather she doesn't want to feel like this alone. Sara's tired of unrequited love, of being the one pining for someone.  
For once, she wants someone to woo her and pine for her. She wants to love a man who loves her back. She really wants Nick to love her back.

Finally, Sara's eyes fall on Nick. The corners of her lips curve up in a smile as she watches, admires him in the black suite, but already the next moment her smile falters and disappears. He is not alone. Right next to him stands Brooke Sheldon, his new girlfriend. Brooke is a leggy brunette with green eyes and a gorgeous smile. She's smart and funny and beautiful and sexy and nice. She's perfect and Sara hates her.

Sara watches as Warrick greets them and she can already feel jealousy overwhelm her. _How could Nick take **her** with him to the ball? He promised that he'd be there for me!_ Sara childishly thinks, not caring to remember that Nick hadn't promised anything of that sort. He had merely said that he'd come to the ball.

The desire to feel the warm and burning sensation of alcohol flow down her throat grows stronger with every second that she spends looking at _them_, so she quickly turns and wills her rational part of her brain to overrule the irrational one. Nick deserves to be happy and Brooke makes him happy. Sara really tries to accept it, to be happy for him but fails miserably. _Nick's happy, Nick's happy_. She repeats the words like a mantra in her head but it doesn't help, she can't change her true feelings.

"Hey Sara." His voice interrupts her thoughts and with a fake smile upon her face, Sara turns around.

"Oh, you're here." She says indifferently, as if she hadn't spent every minute waiting for him to arrive.

"Of course, you forced me to come."

"I didn't know I had that power." Sara smiles at him. For a second, just a second she feels like they are alone.

"Sara, you remember…" Nick starts to say but Sara interrupts him.

"Susan, right?" She addresses the woman at his side, very well knowing that it's not Susan.

"Brooke." The woman corrects Sara.

"Oh, I'm sorry. How could I mix up the two of you? Susan is the blond one." Sara says and Nick's eyes grow wide at the mention of a woman with whom he had had a few dates several months prior. An awkward silence falls upon the three of them but Sara acts as if she doesn't notice but inwardly she can't believe she just said that. "Hey, there's Grissom. I have to ask him something about a case. It was nice seeing you again, Brooke."

"You too." Brooke's voice is flat, almost cold. She doesn't even attempt to hide her disliking in Sara. She walks away, intentionally avoiding Nick's questioning eyes.

Ten minutes later, Sara is engrossed in a conversation with Becca, Archie's girlfriend, while Archie himself is talking with Greg just a feet away.

"Hey guys." Sara hears Nick's familiar voice greet but she doesn't look up at him. As Nick introduces Brooke to Archie, Greg and Becca, Sara does her best to ignore him.

"I'm getting myself something to drink. Does anyone want something from the bar?" Sara asks. Becca shakes her head, showing Sara the glass of wine she holds. "Greg, Archie?" Sara asks the two men, who decline politely. "Okay, I'll be right back." Without another word she walks away, leaving Nick to look incredibly after her. Just like Nick, the rest of the group has noticed Sara's discourtesy towards the couple.

"Did you two have a fight?" Greg questions, it seems like the most plausible explanation.

"No." Nick replies, still watching Sara's retreating form.

"Then what did you do?"

"What? I didn't do anything." Nick quickly defends himself.

"Right. So why is she mad at you?" Greg asked.

"I don't have the slightest idea." Nick says and Greg can see on his friend's face that he's truly clueless.

"Does it happen a lot that the two of you fight?" Brooke asks Nick who quickly shakes his head, answering with a _no_.

"Right, you never fight." Greg says with a roll of his eyes. "You just bicker like an old married couple. Sometimes you remind me of Papa Olaf and Nana Rosa…" Greg starts to dwell on old memories but gets interrupted by Archie who steps on his foot, giving Greg a warning look. Greg quickly understands. He is not supposed to talk in front of Nick's girlfriend about Nick and Sara acting like a married couple. Nick just gives Greg a look, wondering if the night could get any worse.

"Oh, boy Nicky. What have you done to upset Sara?" Brass' voice sounds from behind Nick as he joins the group.

"I haven't done anything." Nick replies exasperated. Obviously, the night could get worse. Brass raises his hands as if in surrender. "It was just a question." He says.

"Why would you assume that I did something. It could have been Greg or Grissom or Catherine."

"I just thought it was you, because you are working with her on the Hudson case." Brass replies and then shifts his attention to Brooke. "Where are you manners Nick. Who's the lovely lady at your side?"

"Brooke Sheldon this is captain Jim Brass, Brass this is Brooke." Brass and Brooke shake hands but Nick barely notices. His mind is occupied with thoughts of Sara and the fact that if he doesn't figure out what's bothering her, he'd have a long night ahead of him.

To Nick's dismay but not surprise, Sara doesn't return after she goes away to get a drink. He searches for her in the crowd but isn't successful in his quest. A few minutes later Brooke leaves to get herself a drink and Warrick joins the ever growing group. He opens his mouth to say something but Nick quickly stops him.

"Don't you dare accuse me of upsetting Sara." He tells Warrick who just gives him a funny look in return.

"I was actually about to ask you if you'd swap your night off with me? You have Monday off and I was wondering if we could change because it's Tina's birthday. I want to take her out." Warrick explains.

"Oh. Yeah, sure, no problem." Nick says and smiles sheepishly.

"Okay, thanks man." Warrick nods thankfully at Nick and after a moment of silence he asks, "So what did you do to upset Sara?" Nick lets out a loud and annoyed sigh.

"Sara's upset?" Tina questions as she comes up to stand next to her husband, putting an arm around his middle. "I just met her in the ladies room and she didn't seem upset at all." She tells the men and Nick quickly makes up his mind, glad for the bit of information.

"When Brooke returns, please tell her that I'll be back soon. I have to use the restrooms." Nick says and hastily takes off. He doesn't wait for Tina to tell him that the men's restrooms were out of order, not that it were of importance for him.

Sara stares in the mirror, looks at herself and dislikes what she's seeing. A bitter woman who's jealous of her best friends girlfriend.  
She bows her head in frustration. Why did she have to discover her true feelings for Nick now? Why couldn't she have discovered them two weeks ago, before he started to date Brooke? Why didn't she discover them a year or five years ago? Why now? And why couldn't she deal more mature with the jealousy? She knows that everyone must have noticed her ill behavior. She sighs and straightens up, deciding that if anyone called her upon her behavior that she'd say it was because of work. That excuse always worked.  
After throwing a last glance in the mirror, Sara exits the ladies room and is surprised to find Nick out in the hall. He paces the floor but stops when he hears the door open. He looks up and their eyes lock. After regarding each other in silence, Sara raises one of her brows in question..

"Did the power of reading elude you? It says _'out of order. Please use the restrooms on the twenty-sixth floor.'_" Sara reads the information that's on the door to the men's restroom. Nick just shakes his head, not commenting on her snappy remark.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" He asks instead.

"Nothing."

"You've been behaving like a bitch tonight and I want to know the reason." Sara stares at him in disbelief. Did he just call her a bitch? She clenches her fists, her lips become one thin line and her eyes fill with rage as she looks at him.

"What did you just call me?" Sara is aware that she has been bitchy lately but he has no right to call her that. Best friend or not.

"For days you've been arrogant, insulting and yes, bitchy." Nick says, not allowing her brown eyes to hush him.

"What, are you the manners police? I…" She gets interrupted by a woman who walks out of the restroom. The woman throws them a curious look but hurries off once Sara shoots her an icy glare. Nick grabs her by the elbow and pushes her towards the men's restroom.

"What the hell are you doing?" Sara asks as she fights his grip on her arm. The door of the men's room is thankfully not locked, so they step inside. "Let go of me." Sara says and Nick takes his hand away.

"I think this has been going on for too long. I don't know what's wrong with you. You've been behaving strange lately and I want to know why."

"I have not been acting strange." She defends herself, taking a step towards the door but Nick has other plans. He blocks her way before she can leave.

"You've been behaving like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde for days and don't even try to deny it. One moment you're _Sara_ and the next you're biting my head off. I know you well enough to know that there's something bothering you and we're not leaving here until you tell me."

"Well, if you know me that well, then you tell me." Nick just rolls his eyes at her stubbornness.

"Either you inhaled some chemical that's making you act the way you do or you're jealous." He says and waits for her reaction.

"Jealous?" Sara snorts and takes a step away from him. "Jealous of who? Brooke?"

"Well that's interesting. You could have said, _jealous of Catherine or Rick and Tina _but it's very interesting that you jump right at Brooke." He can't believe that it actually seems to be true that Sara's jealous. His heart starts to beat faster when he thinks of reasons for her jealousy. Sara just shoots him a glare because she doesn't know what else to do.

"I just mentioned her first because I know our friends and I know that if I have done anything to insult them, they'd have no problem to tell me themselves. So since you're the one locking me up in a men's room…" She trails off, hoping that she sounded convincing. Nick just crosses his arms over his chest, not ready to give up yet.

"What's the real reason then?"

"Oh, God! Am I not allowed to have a bad day? Am I not allowed to be in a bad mood for a night?"

"I think we established that you've been not only behaving like this tonight but for quiet some time."

"We didn't establish anything. That's something you claim."

"Sara." Nick says, getting more irritated with her.

"Nick." She mimics the tone of voice and they stare at each other for a minute before Sara relents and averts her eyes. "Fine, if it will make you feel better I'll go and apologize to Brooke. So if you'll excuse me." She says and tries to walk past him but once again his hand clasps around her arm.

"No."

"No?" She questions. "What the hell do you want from me?" Her voice raises as she stares him down. She needs to leave, needs to be away from him before she does anything stupid. He's standing so close, she can already feel her resolve crumbling.

"I want you the tell me the truth!" Nick demands, his voice getting louder too.

"Don't yell at me!"

"Don't change the subject!" The fight is close to escalating, becoming a match in who can yell louder.

"Go to hell!" She yanks her arm out from his grip.

"Sara." He manages to clamp an arm around her waist, to bring her body so dangerously close to his. She lets out a small gasp as her hips collide with his. One moment, they're staring with wide eyes at each other, both surprised what feelings this contact of their bodies causes. The next moment their lips crush together, almost violently. They pull apart mere seconds later, shock recognizable on their faces and an oddly good feeling settles inside of their chests, telling them how right the kiss felt. An instant later, their lips connect again, kissing with such a fervor that it takes their breaths away. Their lips part and rejoin, their tongues duel and explore, not getting enough. Their hands start to move freely over the other's body, they touch and squeeze and caress.  
Nick slides his hands down her back and presses her body more into his, feels a bolt of lightening surge through him, making him moan into her mouth. Sara practically melts in his arms. It has been such a long time since she was kissed so hungrily, such a long time since she felt so wanted, so desired. Her eager hands roam over his back and chest, discarding him of his jacket and soon after that of the tie. Moving them around the small space, more aimlessly than with precision, he pins her between the row of sinks and himself, relishing in the feeling of the points of her body pressing into him. Kissing her is no longer enough, he wants more so much more.

His hands wander up into her hair and he grips a fist full, tugging her head back, exposing her neck to him. Nick ducks his head and peppers wet, open mouthed kisses along her neck, her collarbone before claiming her mouth once again. Sara lets out a moan somewhere from deep down her throat, encouraging him to go further. Before she knows it, the straps of her dress are down her arms and Nick's hands are exposing her breasts to his touch. Once again his mouth abandons hers, leaving a trail of kisses down her neck, her chest until his mouth closes over an aroused nipple. A gasp passes her red and bruised lips as his mouth first focuses on one breast and then the other. Sara's eyes close and she arches into him, enjoying how wonderfully her skin tingles wherever he touches her.  
Her fingers slide down his arms and settle on his hips before she finds the buckle of his belt and undo it. The button and zipper of his black slacks follow and soon they pool around his ankles. Nick looks up at her, takes in the beauty of her. How red and swollen her lips look, how her chest heaves for breath and how much lust he sees in her brown eyes. He has no doubt that the lust is mirrored in his own. His mouth settles over hers again, devours her while one of his hands slide down her side and push her dress up. Sara wraps a leg around him and brings them closer together. They moan simultaneously as his erection meets her warm center.  
Nick is losing control very fast. His mind only filled with Sara, the smell, the taste, the feeling of her. He wants to lose himself in her, to feel her in every possible way.

"I want you." He murmurs against her lips. " I want you so bad." He repeats, making her moan and writhe against him.

"Take me." She whispers and it's then that things slow down, but just a bit. With the last bits of clarity, he wants to make sure that she really wants this, because there is no doubt that he does. Sara sees the questioning look in his eyes and she answers his unspoken question with a kiss before bluntly grinding her pelvis into his, telling him exactly how much she wants him. Nick pulls away from the mind-numbing kiss, and menages to mutter _'no condom'_ between shallow breaths.

"Pill…I'm on the pill." Sara says and kisses him again, not able to resist his lips. She hooks her fingers into the waistband of his boxers and a second later the boxers join his pants on the floor. Nick's hands grab her waist and he lifts her up on the counter between two sinks. Sara wraps her legs around him, her arms around his neck and she holds him so tight that it almost hurts. Their lips, still engaged in a hungry kiss don't part until Nick's one hand moves between them, his fingers grasping for Sara's thong. She throws her head back, gasps for breath when his fingers accidently brush over her most sensitive spot. Nick takes the chance and kisses her neck and chest, enjoys the pleasant shiver that runs through him as she scraps her nails along his back, despite the fact that he still has his shirt on.  
His hand between them pulls the thong aside and a moment later their bodies join in the most intimate way possible. Their eyes lock and he starts to move inside her. Sara begins to move too, matches his every thrust with one of her own. They move together, create such an overwhelming sensation between their bodies, within their hearts, that it makes them speechless. With every thrust, the pace quickens and Sara can't but close her eyes and put her head down on his shoulder. She whispers little things into his ear, things she'd probably won't remember tomorrow. She encourages him to move faster, harder and there was nothing that could stop him from doing so. She kisses his neck, pushes away the collar of his shirt and digs her teeth into his skin before suckling, marking him as hers. Nick lets out a surprised yelp as she bites him and he hears her chuckle barely audibly as she suckles on his skin.

It's only a matter of time before Sara feels the impending relief get closer, making her heart race even faster. "Don't stop, don't stop, don't stop." She repeats the words, unsure if out loud or just in her head. Soon, her inner muscles constrict and she throws her head back, opens her mouth in a mute cry as an orgasm takes possession of her body.  
Nick watches her in fascination, the pace of his thrusts slowing down. It takes several moments for Sara to open her eyes again, to focus on him. She crosses her legs at the small of his back, brings him impossibly closer to her. She teases him with kisses around his lips before whispering seductively _'now you'_ against his lips and then she thrusts her hips hard against his, making Nick suck in a breath. He starts to move faster again, giving in into the sensations that her hands and mouth are creating. It doesn't take long for his own climax to build, to leave him breathless. He comes with her name on his lips before he bends his head down, buries it into Sara's shoulder.

A minute passes in which they just hold each other in silence. Nick's breathing has almost returned to normal as he raises his head again and Sara lets herself fall back against the mirror. He pulls out of her, careful of not leaving traces on her dress or his pants. Sara unwraps her legs from around him, watches as Nick reaches to his right and pulls out a few paper towels out of the dispenser.  
Not a word is spoken as he cleans himself up and then Sara watches him as he puts one of his hands high on her left inner thigh. Her eyes follow his other hand as it moves between her legs and he gently wipes away all traces of their lovemaking.  
She's so touched at this gesture, it feels almost as intimate as the sex act itself. When he finishes, he readjust her thong and looks up at her. She locks eyes with him briefly before her eyes once again follow his hands which wander down her arms. His head bends down and he places a feather soft kiss first on her left and then on her right breast. His fingers wrap around the straps of her dress and slip them over her arms again until they're back in place and her chest is covered by the black satin.

A minute maybe even less elapses in deafening silence and slowly reality begins to seep back in, an awkwardness starts to form and both wonder the same, _what now?_

"We need the talk." Sara states the obvious and Nick nods.

"I agree." He takes a step away from her and Sara instantly misses the contact. Nick leans back against the sink right next to her and rubs the back of his head, unsure how to start. "Can we have this conversation somewhere else?" He asks suddenly. "I really need to wash my hands and there's no water in here." Sara allows a smile to grace her features as she throws him a sideway glance.

"Okay." She gets off the sink and smooths down her dress. Nick picks up his jacket and tie off the floor and shakes them before putting them back on. He chances a glance over his shoulder at Sara and watches her as she combs her fingers through her disheveled dark hair. Sara feels his eyes on her and she looks up to meet his gaze.

"What?"

"Uhm…nothing." He answers quickly, feeling caught off guard. "I'm going to walk out first, see if the hall is empty." He adds.

"Okay." Nick opens the door and walks out but stops abruptly when he sees the figure coming towards him. Brooke. He had completely forgotten about her and it's only when she stops in front of him, that Nick realizes what he had done.

"There you are. I've been looking all over for you." She tells him.

"Oh…I had to make an important call and needed a calm place." He lies.

"And that restroom was the right place?" She asks with a hint of skepticism in her voice.

"Yep, no one interrupted. It's pretty calm."

"Okay. I have to use the ladies room but when I return you have to dance with me."

"Alright." Nick agrees and smiles faintly at her. Brooke walks into the restroom and Nick bows his head in shame. First he cheated on her and now he also lied. She doesn't deserve it, he thinks before he hears a faint click of a door closing behind him. He spins around to see Sara with an unreadable expression on her face. He doesn't know that she had listened to him and Brooke talk. He doesn't know that Brooke's appearance has sobered her up, that it made her feel dirty.

"Sar..." He starts but she just shakes her head and pushes past him. He immediately follows her, trying not to draw too much attention from the people they pass by.  
As they reach the elevators, a less crowded place, Nick reaches for her arm but she recoils from his touch.

"Don't touch me."

"Sara, don't do this. We need to talk about it."

"No, we don't. As far as I'm concerned, nothing happened. Now leave me alone." She turns away from him and calls an elevator by pushing the button several times. She stares straight ahead and prays that he'd just leave so she can stop fighting back tears.

Nick is fighting his own feelings. He wants so much to take her in his arms and tell her that everything will be alright but a part of him holds him back. It's the part of him that doesn't know if that's the truth. He's confused and he knows that she's confused too so he still tries to change her mind. He doesn't know yet what's the right thing to do but he knows that running away is definitely wrong.

"It can't end like this." He says just as the doors of the elevator open and she steps in.

"I'm sorry but I'm not good in the role of the other woman." She tells him before the doors close. She misses to see the hurt look upon his face when he hears her say those words.

Sara drives around the city, without a plan and without a destination. During the drive she convinces herself that she doesn't want to see Nick so she doesn't drive home because he might follow her there.  
In truth she doesn't drive home because she's afraid that he won't follow her there.

After the tears on her cheeks dry and the rational part of her brain kicks in again, she realizes that she has to go home and change out of the dress before going to work. That thought cheers her up, if only faintly. Like every time when her life threats to fall apart she clings to the one thing that marks the constant in her life. Work.  
She needs work to consume her, to fill her brain with information, knowledge and other people's lies. She needs it to ban every memory of Nick and this night.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

As she ascends the stairs to her apartment, Sara holds in one hand her strappy sandals in the other the hem of her dress so she doesn't stumble over it. All of her movements stop and her heart starts to beat wildly as she catches sight of Nick sitting on the floor next to the door of her apartment. He scrambles to his feet when he notices her. With all the confidence she can muster, Sara walks to her door, fighting the urge to look directly at him, to allow herself to hope. She quickly unlocks the door and enters the apartment with one foot before his voice stops her.

"I broke up with Brooke." He says and she stops, her hand on the doorknob.

"Why?" Sara asks, her back still to him.

"Why? After what happened tonight you ask why?" Nick questions her, bewilderment noticeable in his voice.

"We acted on some irrational impulse. It didn't mean anything." She walks into her apartment but Nick doesn't allow her to go too far.

"You don't mean that." He says as he follows her into the apartment and closes the door behind them. "Look me in the eye and say that again." He demands, because he knows her well and knows that she's lying. Sara turns around and looks up at him. She's unable to fool him and doesn't understand why she tries to. But Nick understands, she's afraid. He knows that it has to be him who makes the first step, figuratively and literally. So he moves closer to her, stands close, so close, that she can feel his breath tickling her cheek, can smell his aftershave and a scent that's so Nick.

"I don't know what's this thing between us but I know that I want to be with you. I want to find out what all of this means and where it can lead to." She looks at him, long and hard. His words, simple and sincere make her heart flutter happily He didn't confess his love to her, he didn't promise her the world.. He didn't sweet talk, didn't woo her, try to impress her. He just stands there and she can tell that he feels scared and vulnerable, because she knows him just as well as he knows her.  
Nick starts to get anxious, the lack of response from her makes him feel unsettled. Sara holds his intense look for a bit longer before she finally has mercy on him and smiles. Nick perks up, feels hope rush through his veins.

"I want to find out what's between us too." She says and Nick breaths out in relief.

"Good."

"Good." She echoes him and for a moment they just stand there and grin at each other. Before it gets too awkward, Sara clears her throat and takes a step back.

"Uhm…do you want something to drink?" She asks and moves towards the kitchen.

"No, thank you." His answer makes her stop and her heart sink. Did he already change his mind? Doesn't he want to stay with her? "I have to go home and get changed or else I'd be late for work." Nick explains and Sara reprimands herself for thinking such silly thoughts. She turns around and smiles at him.

"You're right. I should get changed too." For a moment she wonders if it has already come so far that his mere presence is able to make her forget about work, something her mind had been occupied with until the moment she found him on her doorstep. "I'll walk you out." She adds and he smiles at her. Before opening the door, Nick turns to her and brings a hand to her face, caressing it gently.

"I don't regret what happened tonight. I merely regret how it happened and where."

"I don't regret it either." She says and leans into his touch, presses a kiss into his palm.

"Sara,…" he starts. There's something else he wants to tell her, something he wants to make sure she knows. "I would never hurt you. I'd never betray you or put you in the position of the other woman." He doesn't mention any names or certain past incidents but both know about what and who he's talking about. "I know it sounds hypocritical after the events of tonight but I hope you know me so well that you know that it's something I don't usually do." She understands because they're in the same position. She has never cheated on a boyfriend before and after that whole Hank fiasco, she could never do it. What happened tonight, she couldn't really explain, couldn't understand how quickly and to what extent she lost control over herself. She feels sorry that Brooke got hurt in the process, but Sara can't deny that she's happy that Nick chose her over Brooke.

"You believe me, right?" Nick asks. "Please, you have to trust me."

"I do." She does trust him. She trusts him as a friend and Sara's aware that it's different now that they've become more than that but she also knows that Nick would never hurt her deliberately. Nick smiles at her before slowly inching closer until their lips meet. It's the most gentle kiss they've shared yet and it feels more intimate than anything that they've shared just an hour ago. He gathers her in his arms, every bit of space between them vanishes as they once again lose themselves in the feel of the other.  
The kiss deepens and soon Sara's hands wander under his shirt to caress his soft skin. She feels the muscles in his back ripple beneath her hands and she presses her body even more against his, presses her breasts more firmly into his chest.

It takes every bit of his power to pull away and begrudge himself of what he wants most. Her. Sara buries her face in his neck, tightens her arms around him.

"Oh, wow." She says and he feels the words vibrate against his skin.

"Exactly my thoughts." He says and kisses the crown of her head. It was undeniable how good, how perfect it feels to be with her, to hold and kiss her. Nick brushes with his fingers through her hair and she raises her head again, looks up at him. He cups her head in his hands and caresses her cheeks with his thumbs. "I better. Go. Before. We get. Too. Carried away." He says between small pecks upon her lips.

"I wouldn't mind." Sara replies, eliciting a grin from him.

"Me neither but I'm sure Ecklie would."

"I didn't know you were a _ménage à trois_ kind of guy." Sara teases him and Nick winces.

"Oh, God that's an even more disturbing picture than catching my parents having sex in the living room." Sara starts to laugh and Nick can't help but laugh with her. "Okay, now I really have to go." He says a minute later. Reluctantly he pulls away from her and takes a step towards the door before she can change his mind, which wouldn't be a hard task to accomplish. Sara follows him and as he opens the door he turns to her again.

"I'll see you in a bit." He says and kisses her goodbye.

"Can't wait." Nick thrusts his hands in his pockets, a poor attempt not to pull her into his arms. A quick kiss later he leaves her, throws a few glances back at her as he walks down the hall. Sara stays in the open door, watches him walk away. She returns to her apartment and closes the door behind her. Her mind is still processing the events of the last couple of hours. She can't believe all the things that have occurred in the span of two hours. With an extra spring in her step, she walks into the bathroom and catches sight of herself in the mirror above the sink. Back stares a woman so different from the one she saw in the restroom at the banquet. This time a happy face stares back. Sara takes in the hue of pink that covers her cheeks, the broad grin upon her lightly swollen lips, the happiness in her eyes.

She can't stop the laughter that bubbles out of her and fills her tiny bathroom.

She's with Nick.

**The End**


End file.
